Chronic granulomatous disease
Key points
- Chronic granulomatous disease is an inherited abnormality of certain cells of the immune system that normally kill bacteria (phagocytic cells).
- Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is transmitted 50-60% of the time as a recessive sex-linked trait.
- Physical examination may show an enlarged liver (hepatomegaly), enlarged spleen (splenomegaly) and swelling of multiple lymph nodes all over the body (generalized adenopathy).
- Prolonged antibiotic therapy may help to reduce infections, but premature death is typically a result of repeated pulmonary infections.
Alternative names
CGD
Definition
Chronic granulomatous disease is an inherited abnormality of certain cells of the immune system that normally kill bacteria (phagocytic cells). It causes recurrent infection by certain types of bacteria.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is transmitted 50-60% of the time as a recessive sex-linked trait. This means that the condition is more likely to affect males than females because the defective gene is carried on the X chromosome. Since females have two X chromosomes, if one X chromosome has the defective gene, the second X chromosome will have a working copy of the gene to compensate. If a female inherits the defective gene from both parents, she can also be affected.
In this disease, the inability of phagocytic cells to kill certain bacteria and fungi leads to long term (chronic) and repeated (recurrent) infections. The condition is often discovered in the first years of life. Milder forms may appear in adolescence or even adulthood.
Impetigo, skin abscesses and furuncles, and perianal and rectal abscesses are common. Recurrent pneumonia is a significant problem and may be caused by bacteria not typically found in most pneumonias. Chronic swelling of the lymph nodes in the neck with abscess formation is common.
Risk factors include a family history of recurrent or chronic infections.
The incidence of chronic granulomatous disease is about 1 in a million.
Symptoms
- swollen lymph nodes in the neck that develop early in life and that persist or occur frequently
- abscess formation in the lymph nodes of the neck that requires surgical drainage
- frequent and difficult-to-clear skin infections
o chronic infection inside the nose
o impetigo
o abscesses
o furuncles
o impetiginized eczema (eczema complicated with an infection)
o perianal abscess - pneumonia
o occurs frequently
o is difficult to clear - persistent diarrhea
- bone infections
- joint infections
Signs and tests
Physical examination may show an enlarged liver (hepatomegaly), enlarged spleen (splenomegaly) and swelling of multiple lymph nodes all over the body (generalized adenopathy). Signs of osteomyelitis may appear, sometimes affecting multiple bones.
Written and revised by
Andrey Nailor, M.D.
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